Marta runs an agency in Poznań. In January, her team had 9 people and the Asana bill did not raise any concerns. By September, it has grown to 15 people. The invoice for the task management tool lands back on her desk with a question: “Will this still be worth it over three years?”
Asana or Task Manager? Over three years, it comes down to a subscription charged per seat versus a one-off licence. The second difference is where the company's data is stored.
The cost of Asana increases with the number of seats
The cost of Asana depends on the plan and the number of seats purchased. In Task Manager, you choose the Starter, Classic or Max tier and make a one-off payment for a licence covering that number of people; teams of more than 35 require Enterprise with custom pricing.
Asana charges for its paid plans per user per month. Its help article on subscriptions and pricing also states that, for teams of up to 30 people, seats are added in bundles of five. Growing the team therefore does not always increase the bill by exactly one person - it may require purchasing another bundle.
On Monday, 2 March, Marta has a team of 9 and signs contracts with two new people. If the new accounts do not fit within the existing seat bundle, Asana charges a subscription for the next bundle.
Task Manager works differently. Starter supports up to 8 people, Classic up to 20, and Max up to 35. A team of between 10 and 20 people therefore fits within the Classic plan. With 15 people, Marta chooses Classic, and she will not need to change plans until the team exceeds its limit.
Each active user occupies a seat. When an employee leaves, you deactivate their account, their data remains, and you can assign the available seat to someone else.
For a broader comparison of both models, see our analysis of subscriptions and one-off licences for 12 people.
Asana pricing 2026: how much do three years cost for 15 people?
For 15 people, Asana Starter costs 5934,60 USD over three years when billed annually, assuming the price remains at 10,99 USD per person per month. Over the same period, Task Manager Classic costs 2 384 zł for the Standard version or 6 384 zł for the Pro version if you purchase two annual update renewals.
The Asana prices come from Asana's official pricing page, available on 22 September 2026. The calculation for the Starter plan is straightforward:
10,99 USD × 15 people × 36 months = 5934,60 USD
The Advanced plan costs 24,99 USD per person per month when billed annually. For the same team, the calculation is:
24,99 USD × 15 people × 36 months = 13 494,60 USD
The Asana Starter plan includes Timeline, Gantt charts, reports, forms, custom fields and custom templates, among other features. The Asana Advanced plan also includes portfolios and goals, among other features.
Task Manager for 15 people requires the Classic plan. The Standard version costs a one-off 1 490 zł, while Pro costs 3 990 zł. Pro adds Mail, Files, Automations, AES-256 encryption and a RAG knowledge base; the Standard version does not include these modules, and upgrading to Pro only requires entering a new licence key.
| Item | Asana Starter | Task Manager Standard Classic |
|---|---|---|
| Payment model | subscription charged per seat | one-off licence for up to 20 people |
| First year for 15 people | 1978,20 USD | 1 490 zł |
| Years 2-3 | 3956,40 USD at the same price | 447 zł per year for access to new versions, if renewed |
| Total over three years | 5934,60 USD | 2 384 zł |
| After payments end | continued use of the paid plan requires another subscription period | not renewing updates does not block anything, and the software continues to work on the current version |
| Server | Asana infrastructure | company hosting with PHP 8.1+ and MySQL or MariaDB |
Task Manager update renewal is optional. If you do not purchase it, you keep the software and can continue working with your current version, but you will not receive new releases.
Add hosting costs to the Task Manager total. Optional Maintenance for Classic costs 199 zł per month and includes installing new versions with a backup. Remote installation is included from the Classic plan upwards, while for Starter it costs 299 zł excl. VAT.
Asana stores your data in the cloud, while Task Manager stores it on your server
Asana is a cloud service maintained by the provider, so you do not need to configure your own application hosting. With Task Manager, the application files and MySQL database are stored on your company’s server.
For Marta, the cloud means a quick start: she creates an account, invites the team and does not have to manage a server. However, a company with its own data retention policies must review the provider’s procedures and terms.
Task Manager runs on standard shared hosting with PHP 8.1+ and MySQL or MariaDB. The server does not need Node.js, Redis or Composer. Libraries, fonts, icons and avatars are served by the company’s hosting, including on the login screen, and the application can operate on a network without internet access.
The server only connects to external services that you enable: an AI provider, mail server or licensing portal. This does not mean that AI runs entirely locally. When you use the AI Assistant, the query and selected context are sent to the model provider using your API key.
You can connect OpenAI, Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude or xAI Grok. You pay the model provider directly, with no Task Manager mark-up, and the entire application also works without AI. This model is explained in detail on the Connect your AI model page.
Task Manager brings tasks and conversations together, but does not replace every Asana view
Task Manager combines tasks, their threads and chats in a single Workspace. Asana offers Gantt charts, forms, portfolios and goals, which Task Manager does not have.
In Task Manager, a Workspace groups tasks and chats for a project, team or topic. A Task has a subject, description, Priority, Due date with or without a time, and assigned users. You can change its Status directly from the list.
On Tuesday, Ola moves the due date for the “Projekt strony” task from Thursday to Friday. The Thread records the previous value and the name of the person who changed the due date. Marta does not have to reconstruct the decision later from messages in a private chat app.
Due date colours are consistent across the list, Board and Calendar: red indicates an overdue task, blue a task due today, green a future due date, and grey no due date or a closed task. The Due, Today, Overdue and Chat tiles work as both counters and filters.
The Checklist in the task description works without opening the edit form. Every participant can see its shared state, progress bar and a mini avatar of the person who ticked each item.
Separate chats remain in the same Workspace as the tasks. On Wednesday, the team discusses the direction of the entire project in a chat instead of adding the conversation to a task with a single due date and one person responsible.
Asana offers a broader range of project views and reporting features. Asana’s Starter plan includes Timeline, Gantt and reports, among other features, while Asana’s Advanced plan adds portfolios and goals. The official catalogue also includes integrations and mobile apps for iOS and Android.
If your team plans work using Gantt charts, collects submissions through forms or manages portfolios and goals, switching means losing that way of working. A lower price will not make up for the lack of a view or report that the team uses every week.
To learn more about organising work, see the feature pages for tasks with due dates and threads and Workspaces for projects and teams.
Asana is ready to use straight away, while Task Manager requires installation
Asana lets you start working without preparing your own server. Task Manager requires you to upload the files to your hosting and complete the browser-based installer.
The installer guides you through five screens: Requirements, Database, Administrator, Application Settings and Mail. In the settings, you enter the application address and licence key, while in the mail section you configure SMTP and send a test message.
Once the application is running, you invite users by email. Each person sets their own password, while you assign their access and permissions separately in each Workspace.
You can check for, download and install Updates from within the application, without FTP. An administrator starts the process with one click, but the company remains responsible for backing up the database and uploads directory. The application reminds you to do this before an update.
CRON is optional. You only need it if emails should be sent in the background after the application has been closed. If you want to assess the work involved before buying, read the guide to task management software on your own server without an IT specialist.
Asana or Task Manager: when to choose each application
Stay with Asana if your team relies on Timeline, Gantt charts, forms, portfolios, goals, reports and extensive integrations. Consider Task Manager if you value hosting on your own server, a one-off licence, a Polish-language interface, conversations alongside tasks and AI billed directly by the model provider.
Asana reduces your technical responsibilities. This is a strong argument when no one in the company wants to manage hosting, backups or Updates.
Task Manager gives you greater control over where the application files and database are stored, but that control also brings responsibility. The company is responsible for hosting, backups of the database and uploads directory, and running Updates.
There is no automatic import of projects from Asana. Workspaces and active tasks must be created manually. Plan the switch for the beginning of a new quarter or project, not during an ongoing implementation.
Tomorrow morning, note down the number of people who actually use the application. Multiply Asana’s monthly price by the number of licences and 36 months. Next to it, enter the cost of the Classic plan in your chosen option.
Then mark the three features your team cannot work without. If the cost calculation and feature list point in the same direction, try the Demo.
Frequently asked questions
Asana or Task Manager - how much do they cost for 15 people?
Fifteen people fit within the Classic plan for up to 20 people, which costs a one-off 1 490 zł for the Standard version. At 10,99 USD per person per month when billed annually, Asana Starter costs 5934,60 USD for 15 people over 36 months.
Can projects be migrated from Asana to Task Manager?
No, Task Manager cannot import projects from Asana. You need to create Workspaces and active tasks manually, so it is best to make the switch when starting a new project or quarter.
What happens if I stop paying for Task Manager?
The Task Manager licence is perpetual, and not renewing updates does not block the software - you can continue working with your current version. Read-only mode applies in a different situation: it is enabled when there is no key, the key is invalid or a time-limited key has expired.
Does Task Manager require an IT specialist?
No, installation involves uploading the files and completing five installer screens on a server with PHP 8.1+ and MySQL or MariaDB. Remote installation costs 299 zł excl. VAT with Starter and is included from the Classic plan upwards.
Does Task Manager have an AI Assistant?
Yes, Task Manager has an AI Assistant that uses your own OpenAI, Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude or xAI Grok key. You pay the model provider directly, choose the knowledge sources for your question, and the software can also work without AI. Asana, its name and trademarks belong to their respective owners. This comparison is based on the manufacturers' public materials available on 22 September 2026.
Sources
- Task Manager, Pricing and licence plans
- Task Manager, Perpetual licence
- Task Manager, Installed on your own server
- Task Manager, Tasks
- Task Manager, Workspace
- Task Manager, Connect your AI model
- Task Manager, Resources: Licence
- Asana, official pricing for Personal, Starter, Advanced and Enterprise plans
- Asana Help Center, Asana subscriptions and pricing
- Asana, Apps and Integrations
- Asana, Reporting dashboards
The Task Manager Team - we write about teamwork, AI in business and keeping tasks organised, using examples from Task Manager, software installed on your own server. Task Manager has been developed by Blue Creation Group (Piotr Łącz) since 2013 and is used by organisations including Neonet, the Military University of Technology and Polpharma - read customer reviews. We check our articles against the user guide and the latest version of the software.
